Colombo (Web Desk): In the Super 8 stage of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup, Pakistan won the toss and chose to bat first against New Zealand.
Pakistan captain Salman Ali Agha made the decision to bat in the match being played in Colombo. For this fixture, Fakhar Zaman has replaced Khwaja Nafees in the playing XI.
Rain is forecast during the match and could affect play.
According to ICC rules, no reserve day has been allocated for Super 8 matches. If both teams are unable to play a minimum of five overs per innings due to rain, the match will be abandoned, and each team will be awarded one point.
Pakistan and New Zealand locked horns 49 times in T20 internationals, producing one of the most evenly matched rivalries in the format.
Pakistan maintain a narrow advantage in the overall record with 24 wins, while New Zealand are just one behind with 23 victories.
In the history of the ICC Men's T20 World Cup, Pakistan have enjoyed the upper hand. The two sides have met on seven occasions in the global event, with Pakistan emerging victorious five times compared to New Zealand’s two wins.
Their most recent encounter in the tournament came during the semi-final of the 2022 edition, where Pakistan delivered a confident performance to seal a seven-wicket win.
New Zealand’s last success against Pakistan in a T20 World Cup fixture dates back to 2016, when they secured a 22-run triumph.
Both teams head into the upcoming clash carrying similar confidence levels, having finished second in their respective groups.
Each side won three of their four matches in the group stage, setting up what promises to be another tightly contested showdown.
Teams
Pakistan: Sahibzada Farhan, Saim Ayub, Salman Ali Agha (c), Babar Azam, Fakhar Zaman, Shadab Khan, Usman Khan (wk), Mohammad Nawaz, Faheem Ashraf, Salman Mirza and Usman Tariq.
New Zealand: Tim Seifert (wk), Finn Allen, Rachin Ravindra, Glenn Phillips, Mark Chapman, Daryl Mitchell, Mitchell Santner (c), Jimmy Neesham, Matt Henry, Ish Sodhi and Lockie Ferguson.